Improvement in car-couplings



H. H. POTTER. Gar-Couplings. No.145,446.

-IIIIIIIE- a Patented Dec. 9,1873.

Wizfnesses. Q17? PATENT QFFICE.

, HENRY H. POTTER, OF STERLINGVILLE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specifi cation forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,446, dated December 9, 1873; application filed August 27, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. POTTER, of Sterlingville, county of J efl'erson and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car Couplings, of which the following is a specification:

The nature of my invention relates to an improvement in car-couplings; and it consists in, first, a rod, provided with a cross-head, ar-

ranged vertically upon the inner side of each of the two front wheels, and connected to the coupling by suitable devices, so that, should the car run off the track, the end of this rod, striking upon the top of the rail, will cause the coupling to release it from the rest of the train; second, in the arrangement and combination of parts, which will be more fully described hereafter.

The accompanying drawings represent my invention.

The draw-head is made in two parts, the upper part, a, of which has a horizontal movement, while the lower part, c, is pivoted between the two ears 0 in such a manner as to allow its front end to drop downward and release the coupling -pin 3. Extending up above the'end of the car is the lever i, provided with a hand-wheel, so that the brakesman can set the coupling while standing on the platform; and to the lower end is secured a hand-lever, I, so that the coupling can be set equally well from the side. The lever i is connected to the lever 0,extending horizontally across the bottom of the car, by the connecting-rod n, so that when the lever i is turned horizontally the lever 0 will revolve partially around, and will cause the projection l on its under side to pry the lower part 0 of the draw-head downward, and the projection 2 on its upper side to move the upper part a forward. The coupling-pin 3 is pivoted, in any suitable manner, to the under side of the car, so that when the upper part of the head moves forward, and the lower part downward,

the pin will be moved slightly forward, and either release the link or be set for the next coupling. Upon the rear end of the upper part a there is formed a curved projection, 4, which is placed just in front of the shoulder 5 on the lower part, which projection serves to force the lower part upward in position over the end of the coupling-pin, either when the cars come together, and the upper part a is forced backward by the collision, or when moved by the levers i or Z. Placed vertically upon the inside of each of the two front wheels of the car, in suitable supports, are the T- headed rods 6, which have their lower ends secured to the cranked ends of the lever 7, which extends horizontally across the body of the car, above the top of the upper part a of the draw-head. Upon its under side there is an arm or projection, 8, which catches in a slot formed in the part a, so that when the lever is turned partially around this arm 8 will force the upper part a forward and uncouple the link. Should the car run off the track, one of these rods will strike the top of one of the rails, and, acting on the lever 7 and arm 8, will instantly uncouple the car from the rest of the train in front.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of the levers. i or 1, connecting-rod a, lever 0, provided with the projections l 2, with the two parts a and a of the draw-head, substantially as described.

2. The rods 6, cranked lever 7, arm 8, drawhead a c, and lever 0, provided with the projections l 2, all in combination, substantially as shown.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I hereunto affix my signature this 22d day of August, 1873.

H. H. PO TTER.

Witnesses:

J 0s. ESSINGTON, JOHN SHARON. 

